Friday, March 30, 2012

Happy Friday! This is the week of cards! I'm actually going to send some out, because what fun is making cards if they are not used? Never mind I really dislike going to the post office...

These first two cards were made using a Silhouette. I created the chevrons using the accompanying program, and it was pretty darn easy. Backed them up with some patterned paper, used some letter stickers, and presto: two cards made.

This other one took a little more work, but I really love how it turned out. Bright colors with a nice deep navy patterned background. I think I'm going to make them in various color schemes with various sentiments. The banner is actually a stamp from the Double Dutch set. Love it!

My go-to technique is hand-stitching. Usually I draw a picture or use a computer font as a guide for my stitching. But I'm loving using stamps for that. So easy. Love how it adds more texture into an otherwise flat stamped image.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Lawn Fawn has been debuting their new March stamps on the blog, and giving away big prizes. (So don't forget to go by and leave a comment for several chance to win.)
Here are two of my contributions to the party!

For the hearts card, I used Martha Stewart Crafts' heart border punch. It punches a few different sizes at the same time. Very handy! Some of the hearts are just glued directly onto the card, and some have pop up dots behind them. For the paper airplane card, I cut the sentiment from Flying By apart and added the "I love you" from the Love N Breakfast. The little heart is also from the breakfast set. Cut the airplanes out, and popped them up. Easy peasy!

Monday, March 26, 2012

As you probably already know, Lawn Fawn introduced its first patterned paper line this past CHA. Bright, sweet colors, and cute flowery patterns. Plus the most perfect patterned kraft papers. It's real kraft (not just printed to look like one), and it's the perfect color: not too bright, not too dark. There are also letter stickers in a 12x12 sheet with four sets of alphas on it, 3 small and one big. A 6x6 pad of paper, and hemp cord! You can take a closer look (and order) your own stash here.

Here's a layout I created recently with the new goods:

I just got a Silhouette, so I had to use it on this layout! I cut out the words first, then stamped around it using a polaroid stamp. Backed the words with bits of the Petite Paper Pack. Added the photo, and adhered to the page with pop up dots. The border around the journaling is from a new set called You've Got Mail. See that background kraft paper? Zig zags! LOVE!

There's lots more Bright Side inspiration on the Lawn Fawn blog today. Plus giveaways! So go by and leave a comment to win some yummy stuff.

Monday, March 19, 2012

The Creating KeepsakesMarch/Aprilissue is out, and I have a copy to giveaway!

Here's one of my projects in this issue. (Click on it to get a bigger peek.)

As seen in the March/April 2012 issue of Creating Keepsakes magazine. Copyright Creative Crafts Group. Posted with prior permission from the publisher.

I'm not usually a mini-album person, but every so often I create one, and I always love the end result. Which makes me wonder why I'm not a mini-album person? This one celebrates each person in my family as a baby. It lists each of our birthdays, and something in history that happened that day. Plus the birthdays of someone else famous. The fun thing for me was to see our baby photos side-by-side, and seeing how much my kids look like me. My husband always says they are copies of me. Ha! So true.

Onto the giveaway!

Please leave me a comment here before Friday, March 23 (midnight EDT), and I'll randomly pick one person to win this super cute issue! Please leave me your email address, so I can contact you if you are the winner.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

I am a super slow scrapbooker, but I'm even slower when making cards. Without photos and journaling, I get a bit lost, and over think more than my usual. So one of my goals this year is to have fun making cards. Just going for it. Wish me luck!

These first two are Jillibean Soup. The new lines are so cute. And while the globe stamp is not new, it's fab. You can find it here.

And this one is Lawn Fawn. Have I mentioned how much I love those zig zag stamps? Yeah, I've only used it a million times since I got it. And I'm not sorry!

No need to be jealous, you can get your own set here. Have a happy Monday!

Monday, March 12, 2012

I've been making a list of places here in Los Angeles that I want to explore. This Saturday, we had a nice brunch at King's Road cafe. And after our tummies were filled with pancakes, french toast, bacon, and soy latte, we headed to the Hollywood Reservoir.

Can't go wrong with bacon.

It's in between the 101 Fwy and Griffith Park. It was built in the 1920s, and once you are up there, you can barely tell you are in the city.

We drove until the end of the road, got out, and it didn't look like much. But after you walk past the chain link fence, you are welcomed with the best view of the Hollywood sign in the entire city. Ever!

Photos taken with my iPhone.

There's not much to do up there other than look at the sign, and look towards the westside of the city. But it's so calm and quiet and pretty.

That first cluster of buildings is Hollywood.

It's so far up (in LA-speak) that we could see Topanga Canyon.

The dam has since been reinforced on the inside (to make sure it won't ever leak into the neighborhoods below.) On the side of the structure, there are bear head gargoyles. Love the details!

Totally coming back here again. With a real camera next time! (And sunscreen.)

Someone had a real sense of humor when adding this control plate. Why not take the mundane and turn it into something happy.